Survey: Over 1800 Hours A Year Spent On Smartphone By An Average Indian, Impacts Mental Health

Smartphone has become an integral part of our lives. It is impossible not to find anyone glued to his/her phone screens for work or leisure. In a recent survey done by Global smartphone brand Vivo in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR), it was declared that an average Indians spends a whopping 1800 hours a year on a smartphone, which in turn has a profound effect on their interpersonal relationships. The study tells all about how an average Indian uses a smartphone for every little need and also gives a definite pattern to their usage habits. Nipun Marya, Director Brand Strategy, Vivo India, says, “Smartphones are an integral part of our lives and is used extensively for work, and even to connect with friends and families regularly. In most cases, people now prefer talking the virtual way over meeting in person for convenience and several other reasons. Also, the generation, which we can term as ‘born in the net’ is so digital in their overall perception towards life that it ends up affecting the very fabric of humankind and human emotions.”

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In a lot of many cases, it won’t be wrong to say that smartphones have become an integral and inseparable part of our lives. It has such a drastic effect on the body and mind that it has a direct connection and link with the humankind and the way they make their connections. This latest study done by Vivo includes age groups ranging from working professionals, homemakers between the age of 18 to 45, working professionals, etc. A total of 2000 people were a part of the survey out of which 64 per cent made and 36 per cent were females. This study was done to understand how human relationships revolve around the extensive use of smartphones. The survey had results like:

• Out of all, 75 per cent of participants had a smartphone in their teenage years
• 41 per cent of the participants were high on smartphone usage even before high school graduation

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Corroborating the report, Dr Sameer Malhotra, Director and Head - Department of mental health and behavioural science, Max Super Speciality Hospital, said, “Over the time, we have witnessed a steep surge in patients, suffering from multiple psychosomatic problems, majorly stemming from excessive smartphone usage. And, this survey portrays the same fairly comprehensively. Besides physical problems like eyesight issues or headache or mind related symptoms like anxiety, irritability, disturbed concentration and disturbed biorhythms viz., disturbed sleep, the increased screen time is alarmingly creating isolated individuals, amidst a hyper-connected world. And certainly so, because people are so hooked on to their devices, that their human interactions in terms of spending time with family or friends have reduced significantly. It gets associated with neglect of priorities and responsibilities, issues concerning self-esteem and self-worth, losing aim and purpose in life. In the long run, this addiction can lead to loneliness and depression. As an immediate and essential cure, balanced usage and at times, a digital detox is a must for a person’s well-being.”

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